Long before I built a place that I could call home I had my entire ‘study’ built and designed in my head. This room had inhabited my head for so long that I could feel the warmth of the burnt orange walls, the comfort of the solid antique writing desk (which was still in some second-hand furniture shop), a wall of floor-to-ceiling book case…I could even smell the books in my sleep –long before I moved into my house. Continue reading →

Some years ago I read Amitabha Bagchi’s first novel Above Average with a mounting sense of excitement. I was a member of a jury for a book award and this was my first choice. Though Above Average was shortlisted and I fought furiously for it, the book didn’t win. Juries are ruled by the law of averages and another book that won a middling score from all jury members went on to win. Continue reading →

I kept waiting for something to go wrong. I was on my way to Alappuzha to be part of the Thakazhi Centenary celebrations organized by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi. For once the line at the check in counter was short, the flight was on time and there was a Sahitya Akademi official to meet and greet me. And lo and behold, this one didn’t affect the bored expression of a government official asked to do a job, and instead was an epitome of chivalry, rushing to take my baggage, opening the car door for me. Continue reading →